Experts from the Defence Research and Development Organisation have cautioned that if India does not achieve self-reliance in designing, manufacturing and deploying semiconductors by 2047, the target year for Viksit Bharat, the country will be at severe risk of “failing in future conflicts” which will be driven by artificial intelligence, cyber technologies and space power.Although India produces 20 per cent of total data for the global generation of artificial intelligence, only three per cent of AI data centres are in the country. While 20 per cent of the global computer chip design workforce is in India, 90 per cent of the chip/semiconductor industry is dependent on imports.On Tuesday, participating in a curtain raiser to the ‘Semi conductors and Next-Gen chips’ session at the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave later this month, heads of several DRDO units linked to technology management, semiconductor labs, and DRDO Director General B K Das, provided an overview of India’s position in the world in the semiconductor sector.The experts said while India cannot aspire to be a leader across the semiconductor ecosystem by the 2047 deadline, the country must strive for leadership in some domains in the ecosystem to be taken seriously as a global strategic power.Dr Anesh Sharma, Director of DRDO’s Solid State Physics Lab, said, “We should try to be a leader in some domain so that if we have something powerful to give to some other country, they will also listen to us. So, it’s some kind of a give and take, otherwise today we do not have any expertise in terms of fabrication or materials or products in the semiconductor part.”In a presentation on India’s roadmap for the strategic semiconductor sector, he said although the whole end-to-end semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem does not exist in any one country, several countries have acquired expertise in key domains.While the US dominates the sector with advanced chip design capabilities, automation, system architectures and intellectual property rights, the manufacturing foundries are in Taiwan and South Korea, while Japan, Europe and the Netherlands have critical infrastructure for production of wafers, chemicals and other production aspects. He said China has maturity in node fabrication (the dimensions used in the fabrication of semiconductor devices).Story continues below this adAccording to Sharma, India should strive to be relevant in the semiconductor sector by 2047, aiming for leadership in manufacturing of two nanometer chips, 3D structures with at least two foundries that are among the top 10 in the world “so that we can contribute at least 20 per cent in the very high, top niche kind of technology”.“These technologies are denied, we do not get them from other countries. We need to focus on these technologies so that we have strategic relevance in the future for the country’s requirements,” he said.“The vision we have for the semiconductor mission now is not only fabrication. When we talk about the total ecosystem, we need to start independence from the materials itself. If the materials for these technologies are still coming from outside, we will not be able to get technology independence,” Sharma said.Among the futuristic domains identified by DRDO for India to establish early intellectual property leadership “because these are the domains in which we have started already” are quantum computing and photonic integrated circuits and neuromorphic computing, he said.Story continues below this adB K Das said the effort is to “really make our product 100 per cent Indian” with design control vesting with India and “product quality being better than what US is making”. He said, “It cannot happen overnight but the mission is very clear, the goal is set, designs are in place, mindset is ready. I think at least with our aim being clear, one day we dream of reaching there.”Dr Anupam Sharma, DRDO DG for Technology Management, said, “Future wars will not be decided by physical territory, traditional military bravery, tanks, or infantry soldiers. Instead, victory will belong to those who leverage science, industry, algorithms and data.”“Without significant research advancements, India will be unable to fight or win future technological conflicts,” he said.Under the Rs 76,000-crore India Semiconductor Mission 1.0, the government approved a dozen chip plants, including a fabrication facility being set up by the Tata Group, and packaging and assembly units by Micron Technology, Kaynes Semicon, CG Semi and others. These plants are at various stages of completion, with some having started commercial production.Story continues below this adHaving identified semiconductors as a key economic driver and a national priority, the Union Cabinet, in July this year, cleared India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 with an outlay of Rs 1.27 lakh crore. Under this, the government offers subsidies for several functions across the chip ecosystem, including design, broader supply chain, and manufacturing and assembly.Given the rapidly rising semiconductor demand, expected to exceed $200 billion by FY35, the government has identified building a comprehensive semiconductor ecosystem as an urgent national priority.